Whitney Hand falls to the floor in pain before leaving the game as the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) play the North Texas Mean Green in NCAA, women's college basketball at The Lloyd Noble Center on Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012 in Norman, Okla. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman

NORMAN — Every fan in attendance rose to applaud Whitney Hand as she left the Lloyd Noble Center court for what will probably become the final time of her Oklahoma career.

Hand wept in pain while she was helped off the court; she left the arena for an MRI at halftime of the Sooners’ gritty 71-68 win over North Texas.

After the game, an OU spokesman confirmed that Hand had torn her anterior cruciate ligament.

“I’ve never met a kid who loves to compete and play this game more than Whitney,” OU coach Sherri Coale said. “The fact that she is denied that, and has to endure again, is really hard for all of us to accept and understand.”

Hand has struggled with knee injuries before; she completed a 401-day rehabilitation after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee early in the 2009-10 season.

Senior Joanna McFarland recorded a double-double Thursday, with her 12 points and 11 rebounds; junior Nicole Griffin led all Sooner scorers with 15 points.

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by Jason Kersey

OU Sports Reporter

Jason Kersey became The Oklahoman's OU football beat writer in May 2012 after a year covering high school sports and OSU recruiting. Before joining the newspaper in November 2006 as a part-time results clerk, he covered high school football for...